Dollar Mountain

The City of Grants Pass approved the purchase a tract of land just northwest of the city limits.

The tract is west of Starlite Drive and east of Pinecrest Drive. It is commonly called Dollar Mountain. This land is approximately 444 acres which can be used to develop a useable trail system for hiking and biking, similar in size and scope to Cathedral Hills.

The purchase was discussed at the City Council level, and at the January Bikeway Walkway Committee and Park Advisory Committee meetings. A Public Open House was conducted on January 16th, 2019 in Council Chambers where Staff, Mayor and 4 Councilors answered questions and listened to concerns.

What’s Next?

Grayback Forestry is preparing a plan for fuel reduction services to present to Council. Fuel reduction is Phase 1 of the project. We expect to go ahead as quickly as possible.

The City will continue to ask the public what would be the best and highest volume use of the property, through meetings and surveys.

The City will discuss contracting for professional trail designer services. A development plan is required in most cases for grant applications.

The City will seek grant funding for the development of the park.

Upcoming Events and Meetings:

January 26th 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. at the Grants Pass Performing Arts Center – Blue Zones is hosting an open forum for the public to discuss the development of Dollar Mountain, Hillcrest Park and Community Center.

Questions & Answers:

We are in the initial stages of buying the property, so we do not have all the answers yet on what the future holds for this Park.

Developing hiking and mountain biking trails are the first primary uses being considered. Many future uses are not yet determined. Paragliding, equestrian trails, dedicated motorbike trails and photo spots are just a few of the ides for activities the public has shared with us. The development of the property will take time and funding.

Currently we are seeking public input to help make decisions on the next phase of development.

When will this park be open to the public?That is undetermined. The first phase of the project will be fuel reduction and addressing fire safety concerns.

How was this park purchased?The City will use General Funds to buy the property, not current Parks Operating or Capital Funds.

Will City Police respond to calls?Most of the property is outside City Police jurisdiction. The County Sheriff will respond to calls in most cases. We will have more discussions and decisions to make about how to address security concerns in the park.

Will motorbikes or off-road vehicles be allowed?No decision has been made yet about these activities.

Where will the trail heads be?This will be part of the planning process as we work with a professional trail designer.

Will there be restrooms?Typically, we provide restrooms in our parks, but no decision has been made yet on where or what kind of restrooms will be available.

Will horseback riding be allowed?This has not been determined yet but there has been interest.

Will there be trails made for different levels of difficulty?Most likely yes. We will work with a professional trail designer to develop access for different levels of activity.

I live next to this property. How close will the trail be from my backyard?We don’t have a set design yet, but the intent is to impact private property owners as little as possible.